


Winter Contradictions

by Alithea



Series: The Green Houses [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: F/F, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 13:31:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18367004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alithea/pseuds/Alithea
Summary: Poison Ivy has found a new home for the winter and an unexpected guest comes for a visit.





	Winter Contradictions

**Author's Note:**

> Poetry is mine.

The house was not a quaint cabin. It had a small second floor and a tiny atrium attached to what had once been the deck. Pamela Isley found she could not escape completely into the frozen wilds of the north without bringing some of what was expected of her. She was always, at her heart, a more tropical piece of flora, but it was important for her to go north when she fled Gotham. She didn't have the energy to try and escape and save a rainforest at the same time. Her power was never enough to save it all. It got caught and tangled in more human needs and distractions. Bank heists to fund research. Knocking off a research lab to get the components she needed. Getting lost in the pavement cracks of the city trying to salvage what she could of the green. Getting lost in people. 

She went north to learn the lesson of the evergreens: the pines, the spruce, the cedar, oak, and holly. The green that lived in spite of the cold. The green that did not need to fade away and sleep until the return of spring. It was important that she learn to live during the winter. It was important that she was not somewhere typical of old routines. So, she was in the forests of northern Europe, deep in the woods, and as far from the sun as she could dare. She was putting thoughts of warm things behind her. 

The fire burned in the main room of the house, and she sat in a large chair with a book, and a mug of herbal tea. Clothed in a green and blue flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of well worn blue jeans, and thick grey socks. There was a sound like falling snow just outside and it made her put her book down, head slightly tilted at the noise, red lips tugging up just enough to belay a smile. She was not expecting company, but found it interesting that company should seek her out. 

She got up and walked towards the door of the atrium. The sounds within quiet, save the half awake buzz from the beehive that was connected to to house. 

Pamela entered the space leisurely, pulling her red hair up into a ponytail as she moved. She paced the small circle of the room and checked on a few of her more unusual plants, a single bee flew about, lazy and unsure of the sudden abundance within. She touched a leaf and shut her eyes. It told her what she already suspected. Soft sounds that to any other ear was just falling snow where all she heard, but she knew better. 

"Just in the neighborhood then?" She asked not receiving an answer, which made her sigh. "Looking for an evil plan? A reason to bring me back to the Gotham in handcuffs? I guess you'll do what you want."

There was still no noise, but she caught the slight movement of shadow out of the corner of her eye. 

"I'm going to put the kettle on," she said aloud, "Please shut the door when you've finished."

_Winter contradictions_  
_Crossing my door_  
_The sun shines in a freezing blue sky_  
_The dark clouds trap me in an overly warm house_  
_And there is no sound except the wind_  
_The sharp snap of the cold against my cheek_

The kettle whistled on the stove and she refilled her mug with a fresh tea bag and water. She had set another mug out as well, but waited to see if her visitor would ever walk out of the shadows. She added some honey and then brought the mug to her lips to take a sip. Her green eyes focused on the steam that twirled up from the slight golden depths. She then closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them to greet her stealthy visitor.

"Satisfied," she asked softly.

"Yes." 

"Will he be?"

Her visitor shrugged, and said, "Pam."

She winced, "Oh, I almost preferred it when you only ever called me Ivy."

Her guest nodded, and brushed back her own red hair from her shoulders. It was a wig, but the shade wasn't far off from the young woman's true color. All the other familiar shapes of the batsuit the young woman wore were slightly redesigned to suit the cold weather. 

"Need me to come rescue someone," Pam offered and took another sip of tea.

"No, that connection is doing pretty well for herself."

Pamela smiled. "I know. She's not the one that needed or asked for space. I'm the one always getting too cramped if I stay in the same flower bed for too long. That's why our relationship has always consisted of an open door."

The young woman shook her head. 

"So, just a casual check up then, Batgirl. You've traveled quite far from Gotham just to see me. Or is it to warn me I need to keep moving. He can't kick me off the planet, and I will not go back to Arkham. They can not help me there. As long as I'm not trying to kill everyone on the planet and stay out of trouble I should be able to set my roots down where I please," Pamela stated, and it was almost sharp, but there was a softness to the edge of her voice.

"He's rather too busy to care about what you might be doing at the moment."

"And you?"

"I…" She shut her eyes and then removed her cowl and wig, quite the picture of misery. A look the young woman wore too often Pamela thought. 

"Birds all fly south for the winter, but bats…" She could feel the tears that the young woman was fighting back. "Bats need a place to hibernate for the winter. Somewhere to dream of warmth and abundance."

"I'm not sure-"

"We're very much all the same the capes, and masks. Secrets fill our lives, powers, noble causes, and a need for justice and vengeance separate us from the rest of humanity, and it becomes a very small circle when you need time away from the life." She got up and put her mug in the sink. "I have a spare room, and you can pull that Jeep up the drive if you want to."

"Thank you, Pam."

"Don't. I have just about two weaknesses and no one ever seems to remember when they're tugging at them. Just tell me you told someone where you were going so I don't end up hosting a soap opera in my living room."

_Winter contradictions_  
_Keep me tossing in my sleep_  
_I wanted something cold_  
_And find myself constricted by artificial heat_

It wasn't long after that another Bat found his way to Pamela's house. She had a feeling it would happen. She was gathering wood, and Barbara was in the house reading through Pamela's small library. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the shadow made by the cape and cowl. She could have stopped earlier, but she liked to let him think he had an upper hand.

"Are you going to take her back, or are you just going give me the 'don't hurt her speech'?"

"Neither," he replied.

"Good. I didn't exactly ask her to drop all her problems here." 

"Aren't you curious?"

"About why she came here?" Pamela shook her head. "I don't want to know, Batman. Don't you dare tell me, because not knowing means all I have to do is be here. If she opens up on her own that's fine, but don't tell me."

"Fine, but if she does-"

"If it's really terrible, Batman, I might have to do something about it." She turned around and saw him perched up in a tree. "Anything else?"

"No."

"Good. I am not planning to linger here past spring. Please don't darken my door again, because next time the forest won't be so kind to you." She turned and walked back towards the house, but she felt as if she could feel him smiling.

_Winter contradictions_  
_Spin me around_  
_The cold warmth of close company_  
_The freezing fire of our past_  
_I let you in and watch you leave all over again_

It was hard to tell it was Spring so far north, but Barbara could feel it in her bones. She woke up and the house still. There was a note, because there was always a note. Short instructions for the selling of the house and an acceptable charity to give the money too. But also a personal note, that was a little more uncommon. She read it over twice and then put it away: Winter is over. Time to wake up.

Barbara nodded to herself and then picked up the phone to make some long overdue calls. 

_Winter is over_  
_It's time to wake up_  
_Time to stretch under the sun_  
_And feel the cool breeze_  
_The gentle rains_  
_Time to grow_  
_Time to go_  
_But let us meet again ___

__End._ _


End file.
